Fallen From Grace
by Tsuki no Tennyo
Summary: Bride of the Water God: Hoo-ye/Soah. It is hard to escape when delusions are better than reality.


**Author's Note:** Um, I blame those psychological Victorian poems I had to read for English last year. :P My attempt at writing something "scary" or perhaps even remotely chilling. _Shrugs_.

**Disclaimer:** The Bride of the Water God belongs to Yun Mi-Kyung.

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**Fallen From Grace**  
_By Tsuki no Tennyo_

_Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump._

The sound of her pulsated heart was the only thing he could hear, its rhythmic pulsing resounding in his mind with no signs of stopping. Just a little longer, please let this embrace last just a little longer.

His silent wish went unheard as she pulled away from him, wiping the tears away with the sleeves of her robe. She hiccuped, laughing weakly as she covered her mouth to control those annoying little hiccups that come and go randomly. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you for keeping your promise."

He smiled back faintly, tired of watching her get hurt time and time again. "I am always here for you."

She giggled softly, leaning in to place an innocent kiss on his cheek. "You're too nice to me, Hoo-Ye. I must be a nuisance, you're always checking up on me."

"A promise is a promise," He whispered, wishing that she would acknowledge his true feelings for her.

"It's getting late, I should head back before Habaek will get angry again."

As she started to leave the forest they were in, Hoo-Ye suddenly grabbed her wrist, startling her in the process. She looked at the hand for a moment before raising her eyes to meet his questionably. "Hoo-Ye?"

Hoo-Ye stayed quiet, his hold on her wrist tightening. Soah winced in pain. She spoke softly to the troubled general, "Hoo-Ye? You're hurting my wrist."

He loosened his hand, smiling apologetically at her. She held the hand close to her, quietly nursing the slightly bruised wrist. She gazed at him worriedly, "Is something on your mind, Hoo-Ye?"

"Let's run away together," He said abruptly and calmly, his eyes held a faraway look. Soah looked at him in shock before protesting. Hoo-Ye, once again, grasped her hand, trying hard to reason with her. "You will be my bride."

"This must be treason," she breathed, suddenly feeling uncomfortable being in his presence. To her surprise, his expression did not change, and neither did his plan. She started to turn away, intent on heading back to the palace, but Hoo-Ye had already grabbed onto her. Slowly, his hands roamed up before settling themselves on her neck, gradually tightening and cutting off her air supply.

"H-Hoo-Ye," her voice cracked as she struggled for breath. The hands around her neck seemed to be tightening with each struggle she made. She held onto the hands, trying desperately to pull them away, but her strength was no match against his. She looked tearfully into the blank eyes of the man she thought she could trust, wondering if there were any familiar fragments of him left in this hollow shell of a person.

Finally, he let her go. Just as she was about to fall to the ground, she felt an arm wrapped itself around her waist, steadying her balance. Gasping heavily, she tried to push herself away from him, but his hold on her intensified. He leaned in close to her, his mouth mere centimeters from her ear, "Why can't you see that I am the one?"

She sobbed, never once giving up her resistance, but soon she realized it was all futile. In a desperate attempt, her hand moved up to touch his face, caressing it gently to calm him, and in his weakest moment, she dug her nails into his skin, drawing blood and causing him to push her away.

As quickly as she could, she scrambled away but she was just not fast enough. His hand had already grabbed and pulled one of her feet, making her fall to the ground. Crying, she looked behind her only to meet saddened eyes staring miserably straight into her own frightened orbs.

She opened her mouth, but she could only manage a cracked sob. Once again, she spoke brokenly, "Please…"

"Why are you running away? We can be so perfect." His voice revealed genuine confusion and sorrow. He was so broken, it tugged at her heartstrings, but the depth of his broken soul frightened her even more.

He let go of his hold on her foot, and already Soah was backing away slowly, trembling violently with terror. He followed her until she was trapped between a tree and him. He bent down, lifting up her chin gently so she was facing him. He smiled weakly, placing a gentle kiss on her dirt-stained lips, unaware of the choked sob behind her closed lips. He cupped her face with his hands, kissing her with growing passion, and her stifled whimpers grew louder with each passing second.

He broke the kiss, stroking her face lovingly. "It can be just the two of us."

"N-no," she whispered hoarsely. "I am Habaek's bride."

Hoo-Ye frowned. "But he hurts you."

She could not control her sobs. "Please, don't do this, _please_."

But he was angry and confused, a lethal combination. He could not understand why she would rather be with someone that would toy with her feelings when he could give her the heavens if she just asked him to. _He_ deserves her, not anyone else. No one could match the depth of his love for her.

His world was in shambles, his visions not forming like they should, and he would not tolerate any of that. He loved her, but she was confused, and he needed to make her understand.

He closed the distance between them, the sound of the scabbard at his side clapping raucously against his thigh. She huddled up close to the tree; soft frightened whispers escaped her lips as she stared into those ill eyes.

"Soah, I love you."

Blood curdling shrieks resonated within the forest, sending all of its nightly residents on the run. It seemed like the shrieks lasted for an eternity, getting louder and louder until—all of a sudden—everything went eerily quiet.

No creatures dared to stir, for fear of angering the monster that walked among them.

**ჯ**

"H-H-Hoo-Ye, what have you done?" Habaek gasped, staring shockingly at the bloodied man in front of him.

The moment Habaek woke up, his instincts were telling him that something was wrong within his kingdom, something dreadfully wrong. His instincts led him to the place that witnessed the horror that happened the night before.

"Hoo-Ye?"

Hoo-Ye looked down at the Water God trapped in that embarrassing child body. He spoke softly, a weak smile tugged at his lips. "I am now the owner of her heart."

Habaek backed away; his hands covered the lower portion of his face, shielding it from the foul stench of the bloodied heart held by Hoo-Ye. "Hoo…Ye…"

Habaek stared at the blood-stained sword lying on the ground, the weapon used to carve her beating heart out of her chest. How was this possible? What did she do to deserve such a tragic fate? This man that he trusted with his own life had betrayed him in the most grotesque way possible. This man that showed no sign of remorse was nothing but a monster.

Or was it an even more disastrous destiny? He was an angel, faithfully serving his one and only god, but he had never asked to fall in love with his god's bride. Living with unrequited love or defying all you have ever known for a moment of happiness? He had rather be a fallen angel that was banished out of heaven than one that lived in contempt for his god.

Habaek looked mournfully at Hoo-Ye, guilt-ridden that perhaps all of this could have been prevented one way or another. He started to extend an arm out to the disturbed man but there was nothing left he could do. He was already gone, broken beyond repair. He had tasted Eden, and he would do everything in his power to protect his paradise, even if it meant staining his own hand with sin.

Hoo-Ye held the heart tenderly close to him, unaware of anyone else but it.

Soah lay in front of him. Her closed eyes could have fooled even the wisest person into thinking she was in a deep, peaceful slumber. Her soiled face was now clean; no traces of dirt or tear were evident. Her beautiful silk robe was stained with blood and dirt, but it was arranged so neatly, no one could have suspected of her tragedy.

Hoo-Ye looked at Habaek and smiled wickedly.

"She is my bride. Doesn't she look lovely?"


End file.
